Typically, a carbody of a locomotive is supported on a single undercarriage frame. The undercarriage frame may in turn be supported on axles or bogies having springs disposed thereon. The carbody together with the undercarriage frame is subject to vibrations from movement of wheels on uneven tracks, for e.g., on tracks riddled with gaps therein. During such vibrations, the undercarriage frame may undergo bending.
European Patent 0 975 502 B1 (hereinafter referred to as the '502 patent) discloses that the natural frequency of a carbody of a railway vehicle is increased by separating a part mass dynamically from the carbody. However, previously known systems such as, but not limited to, the '502 patent do not disclose damping of vibrations from relative movement of sub-structural components in the locomotive and converting non-structural carbody of a locomotive into controlled structural carbody.
Hence, there is a need for a device that converts non-structural carbody of a locomotive into controlled structural carbody to damp vibrations arising from movement of the undercarriage frame and also from the relative movement between the sub-structural components of carbody disposed on the undercarriage frame.